E 473 

.54 — 

H84 FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

Copy 1 

OF THE 

GREAT BATTLE of SHILOH 

HELD AT PITTSBURG LANDING, TENN. 
APRIL 6, 1912 

BY THE 
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SURVIVORS 



ORATION 

BY 

SAMUEL M. HOWARD 



-OF- 



GETTYSBURG, SOUTH DAKOTA 



Copies may be obtained by addressing S. M. Howard, Gettysburg, S. D. 
Fifteen Cents Each 



FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY 

OF THE 

GREAT BATTLE of SHILOH 

HELD AT PITTSBURG LANDING, TENN. 
APRIL 6, 1912 

BY THE 

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SURVIVORS 



ORATION 

BY 

SAMUEL M. HOWARD 

OF 



GETTYSBURG, SOUTH DAKOTA 



Copies may be obtained by addressing S. M. Howard, Gettysburg, S. D. 
Fifteen Cents Each 






THE BATTLE OF SHILOH 



Mr. Commander and Comrades, Ladies and Gentlemen: 

This National Association of the Survivors of the Battle of Shiloh 
was formed at Denver, in 1905, for the purpose in part, — and in no 
small part, — of paying dutiful tribute to the memory of our fallen 
Comrades whose tongues can lisp no more. 

In the religious performance of this most sacred duty, it must be 
remembered, we can never add to the grandure of their respective 
crowns of glory. But, nevertheless, we have inaugurated a dutiful and 
patriotic custom which, let us hope and trust, will be continued onward 
hereafter till Time shall be no more. 

Retrospective 

Prior to the movement up the Tennessee River, the enemy had 
taken time by the forelock and had established a strong defensive 
line of fortifications, stretching from Columbus, on the Mississippi, 
eastward through Fts. Heiman, Henry and Donelson to Bowling Green 
and thence onward to the East, protecting their lines of railway lead- 
ing from Columbus, Hickman and Memphis to Bowling Green and 
onward to Virginia; and he had likewise established the military head- 
quarters for this region at Bowling, Ky. 

But our military successes at Fts. Heiman, Henry and Donelson, 
together with the evacuation of Nashville, had completely severed this 
line of defense and compelled the enemy to fall backward ^to the 
Corinth line of railway, stretching from various points on the Missis- 
sippi eastward to Corinth and onward to the Atlantic. 

From this military situation, it may readily be seen that the 
paramount reason for this movement onward from Ft. Henry to this 
point, was to capture Corinth, sever in twain this new line of defense, 
disrupt the en^tire railway system centering at Corinth, and open the 
way to the further unprotected vitals of the enemy. 

And this is precisely what led onward to the great conflict here. 

My Comrades: Just one-half a century ago today and tomorrow, 
upon the environments which here surround us, five Divisions of the 
Army of the Tennessee, commanded respectively by Generals John A. 
McClernand, W. H. U Wa/llcTCu, '.Stephen A. Hurlbut, William T. Sher- 
man and B. M. Prentiss, allimder Gen. U. S. Grant, waged here the 
bloodiest great battle of modern times, resulting in the aggregate loss 
of at least 23,731 men in killed, wounded and missing, clad either in 
the blue or the gray, all of whom were then and there at the very 
sunrise of manhood, with all that that implies. Of this enormous 'oss, 
at least 3,477 were killed outright, whilst some 1,500 more were 
mortally wounded, and died of their wounds within a few days after 
the battle; and each and all of whom, practically speaking, at this 
very moment are quietly sleeping in patriot graves within this National 

Olfi 
• uthor 

5E; iii;i 



THE BATTLE OF SHILOH 3 

Military Park, everywhere guarded, let us fondly hope, by angels from 
the Throne on High. 

The Whippoor-will is calling 

From its perch on splintered limb, 
And his plaintive notes are thrilling, 

As objects are becoming dim. 
The struggling rays of starlight 

Are silvering o'er each shrub and tree, 
Beside the graves of Shiloh's dead, 

Within the Woods of Tennessee. 

The leaves are gently rustling. 

No longer stained with red. 
As when, for fallen Comrade, 

They formed the lowly bed 
From which, with fervent prayer. 

He sought in vain to flee 
From torture worse than death. 

Within the Woods of Tennessee. 

In frightful numbers here reposing 

Within their long remembered graves 
Upon the bluff, upon the hillside. 

Where Old Glory always waves. 
Their memories must remain 

For yourselves and for me. 
The dearest 'heritage of all, 

Within the Woods of Tennessee. 

In order for all fully to understand the vast importance of the 
great battle contested here, it is necessary to recall, briefly as may 
be, the whole military situation which then prevailed throughout this 
distracted land, lest it be overlooked and forgotten. 

It should be well remembered and kept constantly in mind that, 
at all times subsequent to the first battle at Bull Run, and prior to 
the great conflict here, the lowering clouds of National adversity en- 
rJirouded our whole beloved land; and that men and women, every- 
where filled with dire distrust, with bated breath and colorless lips 
were whispering, each to each,— "The foe! He comes! He comes!" 

And these, my Comrades, and such as these, were the sorrowful 
surroundings which everywhere prevailed at the date of the fearful 
struggle here. 

"But whence came it all," some one enquires. 

Let me tell you truly, and once for all. 

You must remember that, on the 21st clay of the preceding July, 
the first great pitched battle of all the war had been waged at Bull 
Run, in Virginia, from which great conflict the greater part of Mc- 
Dowell's whole army had fled like frightened deers before the blood- 
hounds' heavy bay; and it may be safe to say that, if the world were 



4 THE BATTLE OF SHILOH 

only large enough, so they could have fled farther and farther away, 
their flight would not have ended yet. 

Mark well the critical situation which then prevailed at and around 
Washington, at the time of this disgraceful defeat at Bull Run. It is 
believed to be perfectly safe to say that, if the great Napoleon, instead 
of Beauregard and Joseph E. Johnston, had been in command of the 
enemy at the close of that battle, he would have seized Washington 
and the groat cities of New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, without 
the delay of a single moment; that the great conflict would have been 
then and there concluded; that thereby America would have been 
severed in twain, and that the Great Republic would have ceased to 
exist. 

Bear well in mind, my Comrades, these were the times which 
tried the souls of men. "The summer soldier and the sunshine 
patriot," to employ the words of another, now souglit safety either in 
Canada or elsewhere. Consternation reigned supreme. From the 
bitter ashes of Bull Run, instead of from the sea, arose the mists and 
clouds of gloom alone which covered our whole beloved land like a 
pall spread o'er the departed. 

And this consternation, distrust and gloom was helped and assisted 
onward by the declarations of the far South that one Southern soldier 
would easily put to flight at least ten from the Border and the North, 
and proclaimed the same from every house-top. And, as if to add 
fuel to the wide-spread flames of distrust, the deplorable result at 
Bull Run seemed to have proven this boasting true. 

But nevertheless, my Comrades, peering through all this overhang- 
ing gloom, one straggling ray of sunlight wended its way: The loyal 
and hardy sons of the Great Northwest never yet had fled in disgrace 
from any field of battle; and why should they do so now? And therein 
rested the faltering hopes of all. 

And these, I pray you to remember, were the ominous surroundings 
whicli everywhere prevailed onward till the date of the conflict here. 

Bear well in mind also that, in the West, the Mississippi River 
then constituted, more than now, tlie great highway of communication 
and traffic from the Great Lakes, on the North, to the Gulf of Mexico, 
on the South. And hence, at the very outset of the war, the control 
of this river became a matter of the utmost importance. Fully 
realizing this, the Richmond government had lost no time in seizing 
Colum.bus, in Kentucky, twenty-five miles below Cairo, and had there 
erected the most formidable fortifications for defense and had there 
mounted a very large number of great guns and provided an ample 
garrison. As soon as everything was here complete, inclusive of a 
hastily provided fleet of gun boats, the enemy at once proclaimed it 
to be the "Gibraltar of the Mississippi," and impregnable. More than 
this, it was with great impatience that they awaited our attack thereon. 

But they waited in vain. Columbus was never assailed. And h't 
me tell you why. 

Bear well in mind that Memphis is located beside the Mississippi. 
2f>0 miles below Cairo, and 2?5 miles below Columbus; and that, from 



THE BATTLE OF SHILOH 5 

a point less than 100 miles due east from Memphis, the Tennessee 
River, for some 225 miles runs parallel to the Mississippi, but in the 
opposite direction and empties into the Ohio at Paducah, almost due 
East from Cairo; and also, that these two rivers constitute parallel 
highways from the Ohio River southward to the latitude of Memphis. 

You will doubtless still remember that, at the time Gen. Grant 
started up this river, in addition to his force at Cairo, we also had 
another army located near Louisville, known as the Army of the 
Ohio; and that Louisville is situated but a little more than 200 miles 
farther east than Cairo. And hence it came that Gen. McClellan, — 
then in command of all our forces, — saw that armies operating south- 
ward from Cairo and southward from Louisville, would be operating 
too far apart to support each other; but if the same were thus operat- 
ing southward from Paducah and Louisville, each would then be in 
supporting distance of each. And doubtless, this situation led to the 
abandonment of the Mississippi route, for the time being, and the 
substitution of the Tennessee River route. 

The Tennessee River Route 

Hence it was determined not to assail Columbus from the North, 
but to adopt the Tennessee River route to the vitals of the enemy, 
and thereby flank him out of his Gibraltar at Columbus. And ac- 
cordingly, commencing early in January, 1862, Gen. Grant moved his 
forces from Cairo to Paducah, preparatory for assaulting Fts. Henry 
and Heiman, on the Tennessee, and Donelson, on the Cumberland, only 
twelve miles away. We captured Fts. Henry and Heiman on February 
8, and Ft. Donelson, with 15,000 prisoners of war, on the 16th, and 
then came on here, where Gen. Hurlbut's Fourth Division landed and 
established camps on the 16th day of March, 1862. 

Although the capture of Fts. Henry and Donelson constituted im- 
portant victories for the Union cause, yet in the eyes of the South 
they settled little or nothing; for the enemy vauntingly proclaimed 
from every housetop: "It was the gunboats that captured Fts. Henry 
and Donelson. Just wait till we get you out on the open battlefield 
ar;ain, and we will hand you another Bull Run." And many people 
paid much heed to this. 

But nevertheless, and notwithstanding this boasting, the Richmond 
cabinet now became seriously alarmed at this successful invasion of 
the Southland by the victorious army of the West; for at this point, 
bear well in mind, we were within a single hour's march of the sacred 
soil of Mississippi, the home of Jefferson Davis, the acknowledged 
leader of the would-be Southern Confederacy. And the Richmond 
cabinet fully realized this impending peril to its cause, and at once 
re.=olved to hurl us backward to the Ohio and beyond. 

Knowing that Albert Sidney Johnston was then the senior Rebel 
officer in the field; that he had won his spurs in the war with Mexico; 
that he had successfully commanded the toilsome expedition against 
the Mormons at Salt Lake in 1857, the very last military movement 
made by our army prior to this war; and that he was then believed 



6 THE BATTLE OF SHILOH 

to be the briglitpst military genius in all America, Jefferson Davis 
resolved at once to hasten him on to Corinth. Hence came the forma- 
tion of the Department of the Mississippi, of which Gen. Albert Sidney 
.Tc'hnston formally assumed command on the 29th day of March. It 
was .then well known that all was quiet on the Potomac; and hence, 
that there was no pressing need for his services there. 

Thereupon, Gen. Johnston established his headquarters at Corinth 
and proceeded to concentrate there a mighty army for the purpose of 
inflicting another Bull upon the Union cause, just as had been so 
successfully inflicted upon the army of the Potomac in the preceding 
July. 

The capture of Corinth, by far the most important railroad center 
in all the Southwest, being the main object and incentive for all this 
movement up these rivers, of course it became necessary to establish 
a military base somewhere on this river, and it was important that 
such base should be as accessible to Corinth as possible. It soon be- 
came known that Snake and Lick Creeks empty into the Tennessee 
liero; that they run through deep defiles, which are impassable for 
artillery in the spring of the year; that their mouths are situated 
but little more than two and one-half miles apart; that they afforded 
great natural protection for a base here, and that there were two good 
roads leading from here to Corinth, it was decided to establish that 
base here. And these are the reasons which led to the location of our 
army here. 

As previously stated, Gen. Stephen A. Hurlbut's Fourth Division, 
Army of the Tennessee, landed here on the 16th day of March, ]8(;2; 
and on the next day thereafter, established camps just beyond the inter- 
section of the Hamburg and Savannah and the Eastern Corinth roads, 
with Gen. Hurlbut's Headquarters located in a large log house which 
then stood about 75 yards south of where the Hurlbut Headquarters 
monument now stands. 

The First Division, commanded by Gen. John A. McClernand, the 
Second Division, commanded by Gen. W. H. L. Wallace, the Fifth 
Division, commanded by Gen. W. T. Sherman, the Sixth Division, com- 
manded by Gen. B. M. Prentiss, each and all landed here immediately 
thereafter and went into camps farther out from the Landing, stretch- 
ing from Snake Creek, on the North, to Lick Creek, on the South, and 
from the River, on the East, to Owl Creek, a branch of Snake Creek, 
on the West. The Third Division, commanded by Gen. Lew Wallace, 
disembarked April 1.3th at Crump's Landing, less than five miles below. 

Gen. Charles F. Smith, — then generally known as "Paducah 
Smith," was then in command of all the forces engaged in this move- 
ment, and established the headquarters thereof at Savannah, on the 
opposite side of the River and ten miles below. 

These six Divisions then substantially constituted the Army of 
the Tennessee, — the only Army, either North or South. East or West, 
which was never defeated and never turned its back to the foe, — and 
was halted here for the purpose of awaiting the arrival of the Army 
of the Ohio, then marching through from Nashville for the purpose of 



THE BATTLE OF SHILOH 7 

uniting these two armies at this point; whereupon Gen. Halleck, then 
in command of this military department, with headquarters at St. 
Louis, intended to come on, assume command of all, and lead the 
advance on Corinth. 

Bear well in mind always, that Gen. Grant had nothing whatever 
to do with the location and disposition of our army iiere; for shortly 
after his capture of Ft. Donelson, Gen. Halleck had become dissatisfied 
with Grant for going to Nashville, outside of his Department, without 
permission; that thereupon, Halleck had relieved Grant from his com- 
mand; that on the 4th of March, Gen. Halleck had assigned Gen. C. F. 
Smith to the command of the expedition moving up this River; and that 
it was Gen. Smith who selected this base and established the camps, 
and located the headquarters in the Cherry House, at Savannah; and 
that Gen. Grant was not reinstated in command till the 17th of 
February, 1862, and did not arrive here till the ivih of March. — (a). 

In this connection it should also be remembered that, just after 
the battle of Donelson, Gen. Smith was seriously disabled by stepping 
upon a nail, while getting into a yawl; that he was carried from his 
steamer at Savannah in a helpless condition to the Cherry House, and 
died there on the 10th of March, three days after the battle; and that, 
as a matter of fact, he never had any actual supervision here at all. 

And this presents to view the strange spectacle of an army of 
44,895 men being encamped here and hereabout, within a single day's 
march of Corinth, where a superior force of the enemy was known 
to be quartered, and without any commander. 

Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston, then in command of the enemy at 
Corinth, knew all about the situation here, and was fully advised of 
the approach of the Army of the Ohio, commanded by Gen. Buell, and 
that it would soon form a junction with the Army of the Tennessee. 
He also knew very well that, if he waited till after that junction, he 
would have both these armies to fight at one and the same time, and 
in one and the same battle. Hence, it became self-evident to him 
that his only hope of success lay in defeating Grant before the arrival 
of Buell; and that, after this, he could overthrow Buell, recover all 
the territory lost, and march northward to the Ohio and beyond. 

Albert Sidney Johnston was a graduate from West Point, and had 
made a lifelong study of the strategy employed by the great Napoleon 
in Italy and elsewhere, and at once resolved to follow the footsteps 
of the great Corsican. Well knowing that, within a few days at most. 
Grant would be reinforced by Buell, and having an army of his own 
which was superior in numbers to either, he resolved on an offensive 
move at once, and to defeat the Army of the Tennessee before the 
arrival of Buell; then to dispose of Buell and march onward, un- 
obstructed, to the Ohio. 

This, indeed, was a plausible and brilliantly conceived plan; and 
this is just what caused the bloodiest great battle of modern times to 
be waged here, just half a century ago. 



(a)— Reb. Rec, S. 1, P. 1, Page 629. 



8 THE BATTLE OF SHILOH 

Nevertheless, my Comrades, it is a trite and true saying that, 
while man proposes, it is God who disposes. And t'his adage certainly 
proved true at Shiloh; for Johnston intended to fight the battle here 
on Saturday, but was so hindered by incessant rains and the bad roads 
occasioned thereby, that he had to delay the battle till Sunday; and 
by reason of this delay, Buell's Army made its appearance before the 
termination of the battle. 

For the purpose of executing this brilliant plan, under date of 
Corinth, April 3, 1862, Gen. Johnston issued his order of battle, which 
contained the following important provision: 

"In the approaching battle, every effort should be made to turn 
the left flank of the enemy, so as to cut off his line of retreat to 
the Tennessee River and tlirow him back on Owl Oreek, where he will 
be obliged to surrender." — (a). 

Let me charge you to bear this plan of battle constantly in 
mind; for this fully explains the reason why the enemy did the most 
of his desperate fighting on our left, commanded by General Stephen 
A. Hurlbut, of the Fourth Division; and why everything else was 
sacrificed, to a greater or less extent, to aid his desperately continued 
assaults upon our left. And this also explains why the Peach Orchard 
and the environments of the Bloody Pond were more thickly strewn 
with dead and dying, than any other like portion of any other great 
battlefield of modern times. 

For several days prior to the battle, both Prentiss and Sherman 
had been sending out reconnoitering parties towards Corinth. One of 
these, consisting of a detachment of the 5th Ohio Cavalry, on Friday 
had a hot skirmish with the enemy out on the Corinth road, and came 
in and reported to Gen. Sherman that the enemy were present in force. 
Heedless of this. Gen. Sherman replied: 

"You militia are too easily scared. Gen. Beauregard will never 
dare to attack me here!" 

What a wonderful exhibition of incompetency and ignorance is 
here manifested; and this, too, by one who afterwards became, in the 
opinion of many, the greatest and most successful commander of all 
the war. 

Opening of Battle 

But Gen. Prentiss was not so easily misled and deceived; and he 
kept "an ear to the ground" throughout all of Saturday night. And at 
3 o'clock on Sunday morning, sent out three Companies of the 25th 
Missouri, under Maj. Powell, to again reconnoiter the front. This 
detachment moved out, passing between the Rhea and Seay fields, 
near the main or Eastern Corinth road, and at 4:55 A. M., was fired 
upon by the pickets of the enemy in charge of Maj. Hardcastle, of 
Hardee's Corps near the Southeast corner of Fraley field. Thereupon, 
Maj. Powell returned the fire, and a sharp engagement followed, lasting 
for an hour and a half, when the advance in force of Wood's Brigade, 
of Hardee's Corps, drove Powell back to the Seay field, where he was 



(Q)— 10 Reb. Rec, S. 1, P. 1, pages 391-2. 



THE BATTLE OF SHILOH 9 

reinforced by five Companies of the 21st Missouri, commanded by Col. 
Moore, and four Companies of the IGth Wisconsin, sent forward by 
Gen. Prentiss. Col. Moore assumed command of all and sent back for 
the remainder of his Regiment. This force, fighting stubbornly and 
retreating slowly in perfect order, was again reinforced at the South- 
east corner of the Rhea field by Peabody's whole Brigade, of Prentiss's 
Division. Here they were attacked by Hardee's whole Corps, which 
t'hey held in check till 8 A. M., and then fell back to Prentiss's camp, 
where Prentiss had formed his whole Division in line of battle. 

The long roll was now beaten everywhere, and the bloodiest great 
battle of modern times was on. 

Gen. Grant, then at Savannah, twelve miles away, and on the 
opposite side of the River, hearing the loud-mouthed guns assailing 
Prentiss, at once boarded a steamer and hastened to the scene of 
the conflict. 

And this is precisely the way the great battle of Shiloh commenced, 
just fifty years ago this morning. 

At this line, thus formed in front of his camp, Gen. Prentiss 
succeeded temporarily in checking the onslaught of the enemy. But 
in t'he midst of a most murderous fire, he was soon outflanked and 
driven from the field in the utmost disorder, with his Division or- 
ganiza.tlcn completely wrecked. Many of his men fled through the 
advancing lines of Gen. Hurlbut, then hastening to his relief. 

But nevertheless, it is simple justice only to state that, shortly 
thereafter, Gen. Prentiss succeeded in rallying some 800 of his men, 
returned with them to the line at the right of Gen. Hurlbut. where 
they fought like fiends incarnate till they were finally surrounded and 
captured just before five o'clock, P. M. Let their frightful roll of 
killed and wounded tell the rest. Mortal man can tell no more. 

At the same time that the right of Hardee's Corps was thus over- 
throwing^ Prentiss at his camp, his left and a portion of Bragg's Corps 
commenced an attack on Sherman's and McClernand's Divisions on 
the Purdy road, just East of the Owl Creek bridge. And this is un- 
doubtedly the exact time referred to by Gen. Sherman when he says: 

"About 8 o'clock I saw the glistening bnyonets of heavy masses 
of infantry to our left front in the woods beyond the small stream al- 
luried to, and ber-aire satisfied, for the first time, that the enemy de- 
signed a determined attack on our whole camp." (a). 

But at that time, the battle 'had been raging, with more or less 
severity, for more than three hours; and it was then everlastingly too 
Into to make preparation therefor. 

This first attack on Sherman and McClernand was temporarily 
repulsed by their well directed fire, under which the enemy was 
ppverely punished, the 6t'h Mississippi losing more than 70 per cent 
of all engaged; but being reinforced by the remainder of Bragg's 
Corps, the enemy renewed the attack with great fury, and finally 
rwept both these divisions from the field in great disorder, sub- 
stantially breaking up their Division organizations. 



(a)— Rob. Roc, S. 1. P. 1, page 249. 



10 TilE BATTLE OF SHILOH 

Referring to the condition of his Division at this time, Gen. Sher- 
man says: 

"About this time, Appier's Regiment broke in disorder, soon follow- 
ed by fugitives from Mungen's Regiment. * * * when Col. Raith, 
of the 4(Uh Illinois, received a severe wound and fell from his horse, 
his Regiment and the others manifested disorder and the enemy got 
possession of three guns of this (Waterhouse's) Battery. * * * i 
rode across the angle and met Behr's Battery at the cross-roads, and 
ordered it immediately to unlimber and come into battery, action right. 
Capt. Behr gave the order, but he was almost immediately shot from 
his horse, wihen the drivers and gunners fled in disorder carrying off 
the caissons and abandoning five out of six guns without firing a shot. 
* * * Hildebrand's Brigade had substantially disappeared from the 
field, though he himself bravely remained. This was about 10:30 A. M. 
*■ * * Wihile we were so hardly pressed, two Iowa Regiments ap- 
proached from the rear, but could not be brought up to the severe fire 
that was raging in our front." — (a). 

But instead of retreating towards the River, and thereby keeping 
in touch with the remainder of our army, as should have been done, 
Sherman and McClernand both retreated northward just beyond the 
north branch of the Purdy road, and where, supported by Veach's 
Brigade of Hurlbut's Division, they succeeded in rallying their fugitives 
with some semblance of order. But this retreat left a large opening 
between Sherman and McClernand, on the one hand, and the First 
Brigade of W. H. L. Wallace's Division, on the other, located in the 
Hornet's Nest, through which opening the enemy poured and suc- 
ceeded in surrounding the Hornet's Nest. 

Thus far, the enemy had swept all before him as successfully as 
a first class cyclone sweeps through the Indies. Four of our five 
Division organizations had practically ceased to exist; for W. H. L. 
Walk'ice had one Brigade only of his Division left; and Prentiss's, 
F.herman's and McClernand's had been rent assunder as heretofore re- 
lated. From this time onv.ard, lasting more than five hours, Gen. 
Stephen A. Hurlbut's was the only organized Division which stood 
between the enemy and capture; and one of his Brigades was then 
absent from his command, but finally joined him at the Siege Gun 
Battery Line. 

But nevertheless, the enem.y had been compelled to pay dearly for 
all he had gained, for many of his organizations v/ere either entirely 
gone or very badly shattered. Prentiss, Sherman and McClernand had 
been driven from their camps, it is quite true, and had suffered 
severely; but the enemy had suffered even worse than they, for the 
ground in (heir front was thickly strewn with dead and wounded. 

.At high noon, having thus swept away all before him, Albert 
Sidney Johnston resolved to case up on our right, withdraw therefrom 
the greater part of his forces, and then hurl the same like a mountain 
avalanche upon our left, with the expectation of driving his forces, 
like a wedge, between our army and the River, and thereby separate 
us from our supplies, transportation and expected reinforcements, 
force us back upon Owl Creek and compel a surrender, in full corapli- 



(10 Reb. Rec. Series 1. Part 1. pp. 240, 250.) 



THE BATTLE OF SHILOH 11 

ance with his general plan of battle issued before leaving Corinth. 

In order to carry out this shifting of forces, it became necessary 
to ease up on the firing line, which brought on a brief lull in the battle, 
which may properly be devoted to other details. 

Gen. Lew Wallace's Division, encamped at or near Crump's Land- 
ing, less than five miles away, had been repeatedly ordered forward 
by Gen. Grant, and should ihave come to our assistance before noon. 
But for some reason or other, always unknown to all the world ex- 
cepting Wallace himself, the Division never arrived upon the field till 
after midnight. 

The First Brigade of W. H. L. Wallace's Division was still in the 
strongly sheltered position which is now known as the Hornet's Nest, 
and there assisted in repelling charge after charge of the enemy; but 
owing mainly to their naturally strong position, the regiments of this 
Brigade lost the least in killed and wounded of all engaged on Sunday. 
As a matter of fact, the 9th Illinois, of this same Division, but fighting 
elsewhere, lost more than twice as many men, in killed and wounded, 
as this entire Brigade, consisting of the 2nd, 7th, 12bh and 14th Iowa. 

This lull in the battle was also employed by Gen. Grant's chief 
r,f staff. Col. Webster, in assembling four 20-pounder Parrotts and 
six other rifled guns, together with numerous pieces of light artillery, 
in battery array at a commanding point on the dividing ridge which 
is now marked by the Siege Gun Battery Monument, distant about 
half a mile from the River, and slightly protected the same with hastily 
eon^itructed parapets. 

Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston em.ployed this lull in hurriedly shift- 
ing to our left, in addition to those already there, 28 Regiments of 
Infantry, eight Batteries of Artillery and Clanton's, Avery's and Adam's 
cavalry. Then establishing his headquarters at the intersection of the 
Hamburg and Savannah with the Hamburg and Purdy roads, less 
than a mile distant from the Peach Orchard, and directly in front of 
the First and Third Brigades of Hurlbut's Division, and for the purpose 
of crushing in our left, he gave his famous order, "Forward, — always 
forward." 

And then and there began the deadliest conflict of all the centuries 
n2;ainst two Brigades of Hurlbut's Division, four Regiments of Wal- 
lace's Division, two Regiments under Col. Stewart, and about 800 
brave men whom Gen. Prentiss had succeeded in rallying, — all support- 
ed on the right by the First Brigade of W. II. L. Wallace's Division at 
the Hornet's Nest. 

William Preston Johnston, son of Albert Sidney, then and there 
rorving on his father's staff, in describing this mighty conflict, very 
eloquently says: 

"A gigantic contest now began, which lasted more than five hours. 
In the impetuous rush forward of Regiments to fill the gaps in the 
front line, even the Brigade organization was broken; but though there 
was dislocation of commands, there was little loss of effective force. 
The Confederate assaults were made by rapid and often unconnected 
charges along the line. They were repeatedly checked and often 
repulsed. Sometimes counter charges drove them back for short dis- 



12 THE BATTLE OF SHILOH 

tances; but whether in assault or recoil, both sides saw their bravest 
soldiers fall in frightful numbers. 

"On the Federal left-center, W. H. L. WalJace's and Hurlbut's 
Divisions were massed with Prentice's fragments in a position so 
impregnable, and thronged with such fierce defenders, that it won from 
the Confederates the memorable title of 'The Hornets' Nest.' Here, 
behind a dense thicket, on the crest of a hill, was posted a strong force 
of as hardy troops as ever fought, almost perfectly protected by the 
conformation of the ground, and by logs and other rude and hastily 
prepared defenses. — (a) To assail it, an open field had to be passed, 
enfiladed by the fire of Batteries. No figure of speech would be too 
strong to express the deadly peril of assault upon this natural fortress. 
' \V. H. L. Wallace's Division, and not to the Hurlbut position. 

"For five hours, Brigade after Brigade was led against it. Hind- 
man's Brigades, which eairlier had swept everything before them, 
were reduced to fragments and paralyzed for the remainder of the day. 
A. P. Stuart's Regiments made fruitless assaults. Then Bragg ordered 
up Gibson's Brigade. Gibson, a knightly soldier, was aided by Colonels, 
three of whom afterwards became Generals. The Brigade made a gal- 
lant charge, but like the others, recoiled from the fire it encountered. 
Under a cross-fire of artillery and musketry, it at ilast fell back with 
very heavy loss. Gibson asked that artillery be sent him, but it was 
not at hand, and Bragg sent orders .to charge again. The Colonels 
thought it hopeless; but Gibson led them again to the attack; and 
again they suffered a bloody repulse. The Brigade was four times 
repulsed, btit maintained its ground steadily until W. H. L. Wallace's 
position was turned, when, renewing its forward movement in con- 
junction with Cheatham's command, it helped to drive back its stout 
opponents. Cheatham, charging with Stephens' Brigade on Gibson's 
right across an open field, had been caught under a murderous cross- 
fire; but fell back in good order, and later in the day, came in on 
Breckenridge's left in the last assault when Prentiss was captured. 
This bloody fray lasted till near 4 o'clock, without making any visible 
impression on the Federal center. But when its flanks were turned, 
these assaulting columns, crowding in on the front, aided in its 
capture. 

"Gen. Johnston was with the right of Statham's Brigade, con- 
fronting the left of Hurlbut's Division, which was beyond the crest of 
a 'hill, with a depression filled with chaparral in its front. Bowen's 
brigade was further to right, in line with Statham's (overlapping 
Hurlbut), touching it near this point. The Confederates held the 
parallel ridge, in easy musket range; and 'as heavy firing as I ever 
saw during the war, was kept up on both sides for an hour or more,' 
says Gov. Harris. It was necessary to cross the valley, raked by this 
deadly ambuscade, and assail the opposite ridge, in order to drive 
the enemy from its stronghold. 

"When Gen. .Johnston came up and saw the situation, he said to 
his staff: 'They are offering stubborn resistance here. I shall have to 
put the bayonet to them.' 

"It was the crisis of the conflict. The Federal key was in his 
front. If his assault was successful, their left would be completely 
turned and the victory w^on. 

"He determined to charge. He sent for Gov. Harris, of his staff, 
to lead a Tennessee Regiment; and after a brief conference with 
Breckinridge, whom he loved and admired, that officer, followed bv 
his staff, appealed to his soldiers to charge the enemy. But the line 
did not move. Thereupon Gen. Johnston rode out in front of the men 
and proceeded slowly down the line. His hat was off; his presence 
was inspiring; his voice was persuasive, encouraging and commanding. 



(a) — This refers to the position held by the First Brigade of 



THE BATTLE OF SHILOH 13 

When he had reached the center of the line, he turned and said: 'I 
will lead you,' and moved toward the enemy. 

"Thereupon, with a mighty sITbut, the line moved forward at a 
charge. A sheet of flame and a mighty roar burst from the Federal 
line. The Confederate column withered, but there was no pause until 
the crest was carried. 

"The Federals fell back on their support; but delivering volley 
after volley as they sullenly retired." 

Thereupon, Hurlbut retired the 28th, 41st and 32nd 111. and the 
3rd Iowa infantry about 100 yards to the North side of the Peach 
orchard, where they took possession behind a worm fence; and also 
moved Lauman's Brigade back by the left flank for a corresponding 
distance. And thereupon, no enemy being in sight, the firing ceased 
for a short period of time. 

Death of Gen Albert Sidney Johnston 

During this very brief lull in the battle. Gen. Johnstoti, unattended, 
rode his bay horse up from the little ravine which skirts the West 
side of the Peach Orchard, came up into the Peach Orchard to a point 
not more than fifty yards distant from where the 28th Illinois monu- 
ment now stands, and, with his field glass, deliberately surveyed the 
line of these four Regiments, then partly concealed behind the fence, 
and not more than 175 yards distant. Thereupon, without orders, 
some 25 shots from the left flank of the 2Sth, and right flank of the 
41st Illinois, were fired at him, one of which severed an artery in Gen. 
Johnston's leg, whereupon he fell back into the ravine, rode down the 
same about 100 yards, then came up to the big oak tree which still 
stands near his monument, and there met Gov. Harris who had just 
come up from the right. Gov. Harris saw the General was very pale 
and asked him: "General, are you wounded?" He anwered in a very 
deliberate and emphatic tone: 

"Yes; and I fear seriously." 

And .these were his last words. 

Harris and Wickham led his horse back under cover of the hill, 
to the point where the metallic tablet erected to mark the spot now 
stands, and lifted him from his horse. His life rapidly ebbed away, 
and in a few minutes only the greatest Commander In all America, 
North or South, East or West, had joined the untold millions which 
throng the Great Beyond. 

With the fall of Albert Sidney Johnston, the South lost its greatest 
chieftain and military commander; and throughout all the war, they 
were never able to replace him with an equal. 

Battle Continues 

But the gigantic struggle to turn our left, planned and Inaugurated 
by Gen. Johnston, did not terminate with the death of its great 
designer. Beauregard succeeded to the chief command, and Bragg. 
Hardee, Polk and Brecinridge, all Corps Commanders, still remained 
to carry it on with all their might and main. 

At this time, being outflanked on his left by the Brigades of Stat- 



14 THE BATTLE OF SHILOH 

ham and Dowon, and in order to keep from being surrounded, Gen. 
Ilurlbut now withdrew a short distance and took up another position 
just West of the Bloody Pond, from which he repelled with great 
slaughter another charge by Statham and Bowen, assisted by two 
Brigades of Chalmer's and Jackson's Divisions. Hurlbut then with- 
drew to the East side of the Bloody Pond, and there repelled another 
assault. 

But in the meantime, the Divisions of Chalmer and Jackson had 
encountered Stewart's Brigade of Sherman's Division, over on our 
extreme left, and had swept his battery and the 71st Ohio from the 
field and compelled the retreat of Gen. McArthur with his two Regi- 
ments of W. H. L. Wallace's Division, thus clearing the way to our 
base. This compelled Gen. Hurlbut to fall back to his headquarters, 
where he halted for a few minutes only and then withdrew to the 
Siege Gun Battery line, where he formed our last line of battle for 
the day, at right angle with the River, which was extended from the 
top of the bluff, along the top of the dividing ridge, and reached west- 
erly to the broken ground of Tilghman's Branch of Snake Creek, and 
refused so as to protect the Snake Creek bridge for the crossing of 
Lew Wallace's Division. And now, for the first time in all this battle, 
we succeeded in forming a solid and continuous line of battle, stretch- 
ing from the bluff of the River clear out to Tilghman's Branch, which 
could not be flanked, but if assailed at all, had to be assailed by a 
frontal attack alone. 

It was here that Col. Johnson, of the 28th Illinois, brought up the 
rear guard, deliberately ihalted his Regiment, rode up to Gen. Hurlbut 
and asked for orders before wheeling into line. (b). 
Records. 

And it was here that Gen. Grant rode up to Gen. Hurlbut and 
turned over the command to him of the whole line of battle and of 
all the troops that came up. — (d). 

"In a short time," says Gen. Ilurlbut, "the enemy appeared on the 
crest of the ridge, led by the Eighteenth Louisiana, but were cut to 
pieces by the steady and murderous fire of our artillery. Dr. Cornyn 
again took charge of one of the heavy 24-pounders, and the line of 
fire of that gun was the one upon which the other guns concentrated. 
Capt. Gwin, XT. S. Navy, called upon me by one of his officers, to mark 
the place the gunboats might take to open their fire. I advised him 
to take position on the left, and open fire as soon as our fire was 
within that line. He did so; and from my own observation and the 
statement of prisoners, his fire was most effectual in stopping the 
advance of the enemy." — (c). 
Records. 

Relative to this report. Gen. Grant says: "Respectfully forwarded 
to headquarters of the Department. This is a fair and candid report, 
assuming none too much for the officers and men of this Division." 



(a) — The direction of these charges here given is wrong. They 
(b) — Hurlbut's official report. Series 1, P. 1, p. 20r>: Rebellion 
(c) — Hurlbut's official report. Series 1, P. 1, p. 20fi, Rebellion 
(d)— Series 1, p. 208, Vol. 10, Rebellion records. 



THE BATTLE OF SHILOH 15 

Of the numerous determined assaults on this position, Gen. Chal- 
mers, commanding the Second Brigade of Withers' Division, Bragg's 
Corps, consisting of five Regiments of infantry and Gage's Battery, 
reports as follows: 

"It was then about 4 o'clock in the evening, and after distributing 
ammunition, we received orders from Gen. Bragg to drive the enemy 
into t!he river. My Brigade, together with that of Brig. Gen. .lackson, 
filed to the right and formed facing the River and endeavored to press 
forward to the water's edge. (a). But in attempting to mount the 
last ridge, we were met by a fire from a whole line of batteries, 
protected by infantry, and assisted by shells from the gunboats. Our 
men struggled vainly to ascend the hill, which was very steep, making 
charge after charge without success, but continued to fight till hostili- 
ties closed on both sides. This was the sixth fight in which we had 
been engaged during the day; and my men were too much exhausted 
to storm the batteries on the hill." 

■were not cliarging tov^ards the River, but were charging North parallel 
'with the River, as may be seen frcm the following report of Gen. 
Jncksou. They were charging up the North hillside of Dill's Branch, 
directly in front of the position now marked by the Siege Gun Battery 
Monument.— 10 Reb. Rec, S. 1, P. 1, pp. 550-1. 

And Gen. Jackson, commanding the Third Brigade, same Division, 
consisting of five Regiments of infantry and Girardey's Battery, with 
an aggregate of 2,208 men, reports as follows relative to these assaults: 

"My Brigade was ordered to change direction again, face towards 
Pittsburg, where the enemy appeared to have made his last stand, and 
to advance upon him, Gen. Chalmers' Brigade being again on my right 
and extending to the swamp of the Tennessee River. 

"Without ammunition and with only their bayonets to rely on, 
steadily my men advanced under a heavy fire from light batteries, 
siege pieces and gunboats. Passing through the ravine, they arrived 
near the crest of the opposite hill, upon which the enemy's batteries 
were; but could be urged no further wiithout support." 

And then and there finally terminated the terrible battle of Sunday, 
during all of which, in proportion to the number then and there en- 
gaged, more men were killed and wounded than in any other great 
battle of modern times. 

But it was net yet dark, or nearly dark. On the contrary, it was 
only G:00 P. M., and the sun, shining brightly, was yet half an hour 
high. At least an hour and a half of sufficient daylight yet remained 
for continuation of the strife. But no continuation came. For the 
first time throughout the day, the enemy now assailed a solid and 
continuous line of battle which they could not flank, supported by a 
park of more than thirty-five pieces of siege and field artillery, assist- 
ed by the enfiliading fire up Dill's branch of the heavy batteries of 
the wooden gunboats, Tyler and Lexington, as shown by the report of 
Gen. Ilurlbut, heretofore referred to and cited. Against this solid line, 
thus formed on this dividing ridge, the enemy with more than 20,000 
men, m.ade charge after charge up the North hillside of Dill's Branch, 
but were always repulsed with useless slaughter, as shown conclusively 
by tlie^e reports of Chalmers and Jackson, each of whom was there 
present in person and knew what he was saying from his own personal 
observation, without taking it second handed, as was the case with 
Gen. Bragg and Preston Johnston. As n matter of fact, no human 



16 THE BATTLE OF SHILOII 

beings could ontor far into this lino of fire and live. 

Throughout the whole day, Gen. Hurlbut rode back and forth along 
his whole line, everywhere encouraging them by his cool and deliberate 
presence, and repeatedly requesting them not to expose themselves 
unnecessarily. 

Tihe result proved that Gen. Grant made no mistake in turning 
over the command of this last line of Battle to Gen. Hurlbut, for the 
latter succeeded in repelling every assault made upon this line, and 
in saving the Army of the Tennessee from defeat and destruction. 

Within a very few minutes after this successful repulse of the 
last assault of the enemy on this line, the 36th Indiana, of Ammen's 
Brigade, Nelson's Division, Army of the Ohio, marched up and stacked 
arms in the glittering sunshine, on the opposite side of the Tennessee 
River, and was soon followed by the other .two Regiments of that 
Brigade. Thereupon, a mighty cheer went forth from our whole line, 
and which, barring the AUeghcnies, might have been heard at Wash- 
ington. 

The 3Gth Indiana was soon ferried over, when it formed, marching 
up the bluff and took position in support of a Battery. During the 
night, the remainder of Nelson's and all of Crittenden's Divisions, 
Army of the Ohio, arrived upon the field; and so did Lew Wallace's 
Division, Army of the Tennessee, which .'^ihould have arrived by noon 
at latest. 

Just about sunset. Gen. Grant issued his famous order to assume 
the offensive at daylight in the morning. 

The boys remained in line of battle throughout a severe rainstorm 
which prevailed during the whole night, without the least shelter, and 
with little or nothing to eat since breakfast. And Hurlbut's Division 
had never been relieved at any time during the battle. 

The Battle on Monday. 

At midnight, Sunday night. Gen. Lew Wallace with the Third 
Division, Army of the Tennessee, crossed the Snake Creek bridge 
and went into position at one o'clock on the right of Gen. Sherman, 
behind the breaks of Tilghman's Branch. At 12 o'clock. Nelson's 
Division passed through Hurlbut's Division and went into position 
just beyond, and Crittenden's Division, shortly afterward, passed 
through and went into position just beyond Nelson: and the advance 
of McCook's Division arrived by steamers at the Landing from 
Savannah at 5 o'clock Monday morning and hastened out and formed 
on the right of Gen. Crittenden. At daylight, the battle was resumed 
by Geu. Grant, with Nelson's Division on the left of Crittenden, a 
portion of McCook's Division on the right of Crittenden, with remnants 
of McClernand's and Sherman's Divisions next, and Lew Wallace's 
fresh Division on the right of all, and Hurlbut's Division supporting 
McClernand at Jones Field. 

At times, for a few minutes, the fighting was sharp. At 7:30, 
Nelson reports his Division was driven back by the shattered forces 



(n)— 10 Reb. Rec, S. 1, P. 1. page 108. 



THE BATTLE OF SHILOH 17 

of the enemy; and that at 8 o'clock, "the firing of the enemy was 
tremendous." But with the aid of Mendenhall's Battery, he finally 
succeeded in restoring his line and in driving the enemy onward. In 
one of the last charges of the day, made at Jones' Field, the 28th 
Illinois, of Hurlbut's Division, lost thirty-two men, killed and wounded, 
— (a). But on the whole, the enemy was steadily driven backward; 
and at 3 P. M., Col. Hall, of the 14th Illinois, Hurlbut's Division, led 
the last charge which drove the enemy from the field and terminated 
the bloodiest great battle of modern times. 

The enemy retreated with much disorder and badly demoralized; 
but they were not energetically pursued by Gen. Grant. And why? 
It was because Grant was afraid to do so, for fear of incurring the 
displeasure of Gen. Halleck, his superior in command, who had thus 
censured him soon after the capture of Donelson. 
Results of the Battle. 

As a necessary result of the great victory won here on this 
blood-stained field, the enemy had to abandon with great haste their 
Gibraltar of the Mississippi at Columbus without the firing of a gun; 
for after the capture of Corinth, which soon fell as a matter of course, 
the Army of Tennessee moved West and captured Memphis without a 
struggle, and secured control of the Mississippi clear down to Vicks- 
burg. And more than all beside, all this vast region forever remained 
in our posession through all the war, and until the Dove of Peace 
hovered over all our land, proclaiming with trumpet tones, "War shall 
be no more." 

The whole world knows, and will always know, what we ac- 
complished here. 

In this tremendous death-grapple, lasting for two days and one 
night, the Federal forces alone lost in killed, wounded and missing, 
more than 13,754 men, — the bravest of the brave, — of which number, 
1,754, lay dead upon the field. And it is confidently believed that at 
least 300 more died from wounds here received soon afterward, making 
the killed alone aggregate more than 2,000. 

The enemy's loss in killed, wounded and missing, is not, and 
never will be accurately known, because full reports thereof were 
never made and preserved. But inasmuch as he was the assailing 
party throughout most of the death-struggles on Sunday, , when the 
greater part of the losses occurred. It must have been much greater 
than ours. From the incomplete reports received. Gen. Beauregard 
places it at 10,694, of which 1,723 were killed outright. 

This makes the aggregate loss on both sides in killed, wounded 
and missing, 23,741; and the actual aggregate loss, in all probability, 
was in the neighborhood of 3,000 more, or at least 26,741. 

In writing thereof, a brilliant Southern author says: "After Shiloh, 
the South never smiled again." 

And practically speaking. It is safe to say that, from the AUe- 
ghenies and beyond to the Missouri and beyond, — from the Great 
Lakes to the Gulf, — the friends of the fallen at Shiloh hung crape 
upon the door of each and every household. 



18 THE BATTLE OF SHILOH 

The Bloody Pond received its name from the deplorable fact that 
its waters were crimsoned o'er with human blood. The Peach Orchard 
field was so thickly strewn with dead, that Gen. Grant says he could 
have walked thereon from end to end and side to side, and never have 
stepped upon the ground. 

Compared with Gettysburg 

But it is by comparison that we can best understand many things, 
for comparison tends to impress them upon the understanding. Hence 
we will compare our losses at Shiloh with those at Gettysburg; for 
in many respects the battle of Gettysburg was among the greatest of 
modern times. 

The losses in killed, wounded and missing at Gettysburg, of the 
five Divisions sustaining the greatest loss, are as follows: 

Second Division, Second Corps 1,647 

Third Division, Second Corps 1,291 

First Division, Third Corps 2,011 

Second Division, Third Corps 2,092 

Third Division, Eleventh Corps 1,476 

Total 8.517 

The only five Divisions which contended throughout the battle of 

Shiloh lost, in killed, wounded and missing as follows: 

First Division, Thirteenth Corps 1,742 

Second Division, Thirteenth Corps 2,749 

Fourth Division, Thirteenth Corps 1.869 

Fifth Division, Thirteenth Corps 1.901 

Sixth Division, Thirteenth Corps 2,172 

Total 10,438 

Less losses at Gettysburg 8,517 

Excess at Shiloh over Gettysburg 1,916 

In other words, the loss of these five Divisions at Shiloh is within 
a mere fraction of 2,000 greater than the loss sustained by any five 
Divisions in the battle of Gettysburg; and Gettysburg is generally con- 
sidered as one of the bloodiest great battles of modern times.— (a). 

Congratulatory 

The second day after the battle. Gen. Hurlbut issued the following 
congratulatory order, to-wit: 

"Headquarters Fourth Division, April 9, 1862. 
General Order No.... 

"The General Commanding tenders his heartfelt congratulations to 
the surviving officers and men of this Division for their magnificent 
services during the two days of struggle which, under the blessing of 
God, has finally resulted in victory. 

"Let the surviving members of this Division remember that, for 
five long hours on Sunday, under the most terrific fire, they held the 
key points on the left of the army, and that they fell back only when 
outflanked by overwhelming masses pressing through points abandoned 

(a)— See 10 Reb. Rec, S. 1, P. 1, pp. 100 et seq.: and 27 Reb. Rec, 
S. 1, P. 1, pp. 173, et seq. 



THE BATTLE OF SHILOH 19 

by our supports. Let them remember that, whenever they fell back, it 
was always in perfect order. Let them forever remember, that the 
last line of resistance, in the rear of the heavy guns, was first formed 
by this Division. 

"Let them forever remember that, on the morning of Monday, 
without food and without sleep, they were ordered to support the 
right, and that, wherever either Brigade of this Division went on the 
field of action, they were in time to support broken flanks and to hold 
the line. 

"Keep these facts forever in memory. Hand them down to your 
children. 

"When we conquer a peace, and forever thereafter, let it be the 
chief pride of every man in this command, as it is with the General 
Commanding, that he served at Pittsburg Landing with the Fighting 
Fourth Division. 

"By order of 

"STEPHEN A. HURLBUT, 

"Brigadier General. 
"S. D. Atkins, A. A. G." 

This glorious victory at Shiloh was hailed by all loyal people with 
great joy, followed by the ringing of bells and firing of salutes from 
the Atlantic to the Missouri, — from the Great Lakes to the Ohio, — and 
beyond. 

On the 8th, Gen. Grant issued his congratulatory order in which 
ho say.s: 

"The general commanding congratulates the troops who so gallant- 
ly maintained, repulsed and routed a numerically superior force of the 
enemy, composed of the flower of the Southern army, commanded by 
their ablest generals, and fought by them with all the desperation of 
dep.pair. In numbers engaged, no such contest ever took place on this 
continent. In importance of results, but few have taken place in the 
history of the world," (a). 

And on April 9, the War Department issued a like order saying: 

"That at meridian of the Sunday next, after receipt of this order, 
at the head of every regiment in the service of the United States, 
there shall be offered by its chaplain a pi'ayer, giving thanks to the 
Lord of Hosts for the recent manifestation of His pov/er in the over- 
throw of rebels and traitors." (b). 

Even Gov. Andrews, of far off Massachusetts, which state did not 
even have a single organization at Shiloh, issued his congratulatory 
order, in which he says: 

"It is ordered by the Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the 
Militia of Massachusetts that a salute of 100 guns be fired on Boaton 
Common tomoi-row, the 11th day of April, current, at noon. 

"Not even the cannon's mouth can loudly enough proclaim the debt 
which our country, human liberty and civilization itself, owe to these 
noble men of the West, who have met the angriest torrent of the 
rebellion and rolled its waves back upon their depths. The heart of 
overy son of Massachusetts arises to snlute them and do them 
homage." (c). 

And similar congratulatory orders were promulgated by the 
Governors of nearly all the Northern States. 

And why? 



(a)— Reb. Rec, S. 1, P. 1, pnge 111. 

(b)— Rob. Rec, P. 1, S. 1. Vol. 10, page 381. 

(c)— 10 Reb. Rec, S. 1, P. 1, page 618. 



20 THE BATTLE OF SHILOH 

What Shiloh Foretold 

It was not simply because we had won an important victory here 
alone. No, — no, — no. It was because of much more than this. It was 
because our victory at Shiloh proclaimed the all-important fact that 
Northern and border men would fig'ht; that they would defend their 
colors with their brawn and blood, at least the equals of any on earth. 
It was because the result at Shiloh had proven false the vaunting 
boast of the far South, proclaimed from every house top, that one 
Southern soldier would easily put to flight at least ten from the 
North. It was because Shiloh had swept the heavens clear from all 
those overhanging clouds of sickening gloom which arose from the 
bitter ashes of disgraceful defeat at the first battle of Bull Run. It 
was because that, with the fall of Corinth following as a matter of 
course, the victory here enabled this Army to seize Memphis, on the 
Mississippi, and thereby compel the enemy hastily to abandon forever 
all of the great States of Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee and Northern 
Mississippi. It was because Shiloh presaged and surely foretold the 
siege and capture of Vicksburg; the opening of the Mississippi clear 
through to the Gulf of Mexico; the siege and capture of Mobile; the 
return Northward of this Army always victorious to Memphis again; 
the successful march of this Army, with it allies, from Memphis to 
Chattanooga; from Chattanooga to Atlanta; from Atlanta to the Sea; 
the capture of both Savannah and Charleston; and from Charleston 
Northward again till the fall of Richmond, the flight and capture of 
Jefferson Davis; the surrenders of Lee and Johnston, and the finai 
total overthrow of the Great Rebellion. 

These are some of the reasons why, following the great victory 
here, bells rang forth their peals of joy, cannon boomed their glad- 
some salute on Boston Common and elsewhere, and jubilee reigned 
supreme throughout the loyal North. 

My Comrade?: Keep these all-important facts safely stored away 
within the golden Vestibule of Memory. Safely hand them down to 
your children, and children's children, in order that, when all our 
lisping tongues shall lisp no more, they, and their descendants, may 
recount them o'er and o'er for time to come, as long as the animated 
waters of this rock-bound River, forever hurrying onwar<l to the Sea, 
shall here salute the tombs of Shiloh's precious dead. 

The glorious victory won at Shiloh proclaims much to all mankind 
the world around. It proclaims the supremacy of toil over the de- 
basing inertia of idleness. It proclaims the excellence of labor to be 
the highway to preferment. It alike proclaims the brotherhood of 
man and the sisterhood of woman, and the perpetuation of the Great 
Republic for time to come. It proclaims to all the world, "that Gov- 
ernment of the people, by the people and for the people, shall not 
perish from the earth." It proclaims the universal education of all at 
the expense of all; the advent of knowledge, and the banishment of 
Ignorance and superstition. It proclaims the world-wide spread of 
American Intelligence and American conceptions of government, till 



THE BATTLE OF SHILOH 21 

the shackols shall have fallen from the limbs of the oppressed in every 
country and every clime. And more, perhaps, than all beside, the 
glorious victory won at Shiloh has inscribed, away up upon the eternal 
scroll of Fame, with illuminated letters never to be effaced, the name 
and worth of every patriot who contended here, hereafter to be 
pointed out by the great index finger of an admiring world till time 
shall be no more. 

"The muffled drum has beat 

The soldier's last tattoo; 
No more on Life's parade shall meet 

The brave and silent few. 

On Fame's eternal camping ground 

Their silent tents are spread, 
And Glory guards with solemn round 

The bivouac of the dead." 

The Past Rises Before Me 

My Comrades: Standing before you here tonight, looking away 
down the receding avenues of Time, stretching backward throughout 
half a century, filled with all its imports of good and ill, the Past now 
rises before me, — not like a dream, — but like an omnipresent and stern 
reality. 

Looking backward to that eventful early Sunday morn, and hear- 
in? again the sounding of the eight bells by the grim-visaged liexington 
and Tyler, lying in the River just below, and hearing the watches 
thereon proclaim, "All is well," again I see Maj. Powell, of the 25th 
Missouri, with three Companies of his Regiment, marching away out 
on the eastern Corinth road to discover, if possible, what was then 
lurking beyond the Sea and Rhea fields; see him cautiously approach 
the advance pickets of Maj. Hardcastle, of Hardee's Corps, near the 
southeast corner of the Fraley field; see Col. Moore, of the 21st 
Missouri, with five Companies of his Regiment, hastening off in the 
'•nrne direction, just as the last notes of the Whip-poor-will, echoing 
through the forest, bids farewell to the departing night. 

Again I hoar, echoing upon that quiet morn, the reveillee re- 
sounding from the fifes and drums of the seventy-seven Regiments of 
Infantry and the bugles of the twenty-five troops of Cavalry and 
twenty-one Batteries of Artillery, located everywhere throughout what 
now constitutes this National Military Park, summoning to roll call 
more than thirty-six thousand men; and again I hear the orderlies call 
the rolls from A to Z, as each and every soldier answers, "I am here." 

.\nd presently, again I see the king of day ushering in a cloud- 
less morn of primitive beauty and inhale the bewitching fragrance of 
that glorious Springtime morn. Again I see the inmates of our hos- 
pitals, with the aid of rudely constructed canes, hobble forth to the 
upturned lapels of their hospital tents and gaze outward upon Cre- 
ntiou's marvelous parade. Peautiful, — how beautiful! 

Again I henr the reports of rifies in the distance, which we were 
told proceeded from our pickets firing off their guns, preparatory for 



22 THE BATTLE OF SHILOH 

returning to camp; but nevertheless, none are seen marching in. 

And then I listen for more. But I have not long to listen. Hush! 
Hark! "Did ye not hear it?" Surely, that is the boom of a great 
gun, away out beyond the camps of Prentiss. And then and there, 
as swiftly as thought e're followed thought, comes another, — and 
another, — and another. 

"Ah! then and there was hurrying to and fro. 

And gathering tears, and tremblings of distress, 

And cheeks all pale, which but an hour ago 

Blushed at the praise of their own loveliness; 

And there were sudden partings, such as press 

The life from out young hearts, and choking sighs 

Which ne'er might be repeated: who could guess 

If ever more should meet those mutual eyes, 

Since upon night so sweet such awful morn could rise!" 

— Childe Harold. 
And then again I hear that ominous long roll, — the advance agent 
of death, — everywhere calling all to arms. Again I see the hurrying to 
and fro, — the sudden partings, — many to meet no more, — the frenzied 
rush for guns and cartridge boxes; the hurried falling in of Companies; 
the onward rush to the color line; the mountings in hot haste; the 
arrival of panting horses, carrying orderlies with dispatches for 
assistance at the front. And then comes the regimental order, 
"Forward ; — double-quick ; — march." 

And again I see our boys disappear in the forest, and soon every 
camp becomes destitute and deserted, which but an instant before 
had been thronged with thousands. 

And soon again I see the heavens filled with countless thousands 
of tiny birds, seeking by flight to shun the wrath of man; and hear 
the startling crash of 80,000 muskets; see the fearful flashes of fire 
constantly shooting from the belching mouths of 200 great guns, till 
even the Earth seems to rock to and fro beneath it all. 

Again I see Prentiss rush Peabody's Brigade away out on the 
Corinth road to support Col. Moore, as the latter is stubbornly failing 
back in seemly order; see Peabody wage that unequal strife with 
Hardee's whole Corps, supported by the Corps of Bragg, Polk and 
Breckinridge; see the gallant Prentiss form his Division in battleline, 
just in front of his camp, where he is soon joined by Peabody. 

And then again I see the other entire four Divisions forming in 
ranks of war, precisely as heretofore related, including the mounting 
in hot haste of twenty-four Batteries of Artillery and eighteen Squad- 
rons of Cavalry, and their precipitate flight for the front. 

And now again I see the arrival of that ominous hour of 10 
o'clock, ^vhen more than 80,000 men, all in the full vigor of American 
manhood, clad both in blue and gray, with more than 200 cannon and 
80,000 muskets, fiercely wage the bloodiest great battle of modern 
times, till more than 24,000 men fall upon this field, either killed or 
mangled, while, everywhere, the very flesh quivers upon the bones 
of both the living and the dead! 

And again I feel the Earth tremble beneath the concussion of 
more than 200 great guns, firing at short musket range, with no pro- 



THE BATTLE OF SHILOH 23 

tection for either man or beast, except that scantily supplied by 
Nature at Cz'eation's dawn; again I hear the never ceasing din and 
bedlam of 80,000 muskets, the screeching and bursting of shells, and 
see the fearful and incessant flashes of fire shooting forth every- 
where, — flash on flash, — flash on flash, — flash on flash. 

And again I hear those pitiful appeals of the wounded and 
mangled for help, calling for "Water, water!" and hear the screams of 
the limbless and the dying. And then, piling horror on horror thick 
and fast, again I see the dead leaves and grass break forth in raging 
flames all around the dead and helpless out in front of Lauman's 
Brigade, and again see both the blue and the gray, with strange ac- 
cord, unite their joint and utmost efforts to subdue the flames and 
save their comrades, both living and the dead, from the most fearful 
cremation. 

And again I see the unseemly waters of Bloody Pond all crim- 
soned o'er with human blood alone, and again see the Peach Orchard 
so thickly strewn with dead, everywhere, that one could walk always 
thereon from side to side, and from end to end of the entire field, 
without ever stepping upon the ground! 

My Comrades: Even all of this, and more beside than mortal 
tongue can tell, we saw and heard and suffered at Shiloh on that 
awful Sunday, April 6, 1862. Why not then, on this and every anni- 
versary hereof, as long as our lives remain, return to this Park, and 
with bared heads and bowed forms mournfully salute the sacred 
tombs of Shiloh's precious dead? 

"Last noon beheld them full of lusty life, 

Last eve in Beauty's circle proudly gay; 

The midnight brought the signal sound of strife, — 

The morn, the marshalling In arms, — the day. 

Battle's magnificently stern array! 

The thunder-clouds close o'er it, which when rent. 

The earth is covered thick with other clay, 

Which her own clay shall cover, heaped and pent. 

Rider and horse, — friend, foe, — in one red burial blent." 

— Childe Harold. 
My Comrades each and all: Let me tell you that some 90 miles 
or more from Pass a-la-Outer, away out in the stormy Gulf of Mexico, 
en route from New Orleans to Vera Cruz, arising from the hidden 
rocks of Ship Island Shoals, there is a light house with a great re- 
volving light, erected years ago by Uncle Sam to warn his shipping 
from destruction. 

This great revolving luminary has two windows only; and one of 
those always flashes forth a light as red as blood, whilst the flashes 
from the other window always have the natural color of fire. As 
these windows, located on opposite sides of the light house, are rapidly 
revolved by clock-work, round and round, each one in turn transmits 
swiftly-shifting flashes of strangely contrasted light; and during all 
the hours of night, these continuous flashes light up the Sea for 
miles and miles around and warn all ships off the deadly reefs. 

In steaming by this light-house, one dark and dreary night in 'C6. 
while homeward bound from Dixie's war, standing beside the foremast 



24 THE BATTLE OF SHILOH 

of the good St. Mary, watching the swiftly alternating flashes of this 
revolving luminary, lighting up the Sea for miles around, — now with 
flash of light with the natural color of fire, and next with flash of 
light as red as blood, — and repeating these alternations to myself, thus 
I said: 

"Fire and blood; fire and blood; fire and blood." 

Well, my Comrades: As I now look backward at those fearful 
scenes enacted here just fifty years ago today and tomorrow; at the 
unseemly waters of the Bloody Pond, crimsoned o'er with human blood 
alone; at that fearful struggle with death all around the Hornets' 
Nest; at the acres of dead and dying, lying everywhere in and around 
the Peach Orchard, Shiloh Church, the Hornets' Nest and the Bloody 
Pond; at those horrid stacks of amputated legs and arms, still dripping 
with human blood, beside each and every hospital throughout this 
whole field of battle; at those deeply seated expressions of horror then 
and there enthroned upon the countenance of each and every survivor 
of this awful pandemonium; and as I seem to see again those self- 
same flashes of fire, as they constantly shoot forth from the belching 
mouths of more than two hundred great guns, — flash on flash, — flash 
on flash, — flash on flash,— these flashes here and now recall again 
those seen on the good St. Mary on that dreary night at sea, and lead 
me to proclaim again those self-same words, — 

"Fire and blood! Fire and blood!! Fire and blood!!!" 

In conclusion, my Comrades, Let me say to you now, — if I never 
say it more, — the five thousand one hundred and ninety-six men, clad 
either in blue or gray, who are now here sleeping till the resurrection 
morn, did not sacrifice their precious lives in vain; for, as surely as 
Jehovah reigns the world around, and as long as this rock-bound 
River fiows onward by these tombs, carrying the greetings of the 
Mountains to the Sea, endless generations of men and women, with 
eyes dimmed by burning tears, will honor their memories forevermore, 
whilst angels from the throne on High, with outstretched hands of 
greeting, will joyfully usher each and all, for all eternity, into that 
Haven above where wars can never wage and sorrows can never come. 



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